thedrifter
12-13-08, 06:43 AM
CMC acknowledges 10 Marines with awards
By Sgt. Danielle M. Bacon
Press Chief
Ten Marines from around the Corps received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal at the Commandant of the Marine Corps Combined Awards Program for their efforts in improving the force through retention, recruiting, and making and training Marines.
Of those, six took home the coveted titles as top 2008 Marine security guard, career retention specialist, recruiter, prior service recruiter, drill instructor or Marine combat instructor of the year.
Gen. James F. Amos, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, explained why it was so important to recognize the efforts of these Marines.
‘‘Recruiters go to the malls and screen (potential recruits and candidates) into wanting to join the Corps,” Amos said. ‘‘They have to go out into America, and have a lot of pressure to bring quality into the Corps.”
Every day, nearly 2,650 recruiters canvass American communities seeking prospective recruits, according to the CMC tribute in the event program.
Sgt. Franky Rodrigues, 1st Marine Corps District, and Staff Sgt. Jeremy Mickelson, 9th Marine Corps District of Apple Valley, Minn., were nominated for recruiter of the year. Rodrigues was meritoriously promoted to staff sergeant for being the overall top recruiter.
‘‘This is one of the hardest jobs I have ever had to do in the Corps,” said Rodrigues, a Perth Amboy, N.J. ‘‘It feels good to be recognized.”
Once a young person visits a recruiter, they head to boot camp to stand on yellow footprints. From there, they are in the hands of drill instructors.
Each year, 1,100 drill instructors transform 35,000 raw recruits from all walks of life into Marines, according to the program tribute.
‘‘They make the transformation,” said Amos.
Gunnery Sgt. Jesse M. Becker, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., and Staff Sgt. Christopher D. Wheeler, a Galveston, Texas, native stationed at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, were nominated for the Drill Instructor of Year award. Becker, a Pike, Ga., native, was named top DI.
According to the CMC tribute in the event program, once leaving boot camp, new Marines are trained and tested again at Marine Combat Training. The instructors directly shape the future of the Corps through the professional instruction they impart in an entry-level training continuum.
Staff sergeants Stuart A. Drash, School of Infantry West, Camp Pendleton, Calif., and James M. Foley, a Meade, S.D., native at the School of Infantry East, Camp Lejeune, N.C., were nominated for Marine Combat Instructor of the Year. Drash, a Spotslyvania, Va., native, was awarded the title.
Marines from around the Corps come to Quantico to attend the Marine Security Guard School. There are approximately 1,100 Marines from the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group vigilantly standing post.
The 2008 MSG was meritoriously promoted Gunnery Sgt. Eric. C Sheffield, a native of Orange, Fla., stationed at the American embassy in Budapest, Hungary.
Making the choice to stay in the Corps is a decision every Marine faces — to help them with that are career retention specialists. The legacy of the Corps rests with the success of each CRS, according to the tribute.
The 2008 career retention specialist of the year, Staff Sgt. Julio A. Vargasrosa, a San Diego native, was meritoriously promoted to gunnery sergeant.
Marines choose to get out of the Corps for many different reasons, and for just as many reasons, some choose to come back in. It is the prior-service recruiter that ensures this happens.
Staff sergeants Elijah A. Richardson, 4th Marine Corps District, and Eduardo R. Monk, 9th Marine Corps District and Great Lakes, Ill., native, were nominated for the 2008 Prior Service Recruiter of the Year award. Richardson, a Newport News, Va., native, was meritoriously promoted to gunnery sergeant for his selection as the top prior service recruiter.
In addition to the title each of the selected Marines received several plaques and awards from various sponsors including the Marine Corps Association.
‘‘We appreciate the Marines and their families,” said retired Col. Walt Ford, Marine Corps Association and editor of Leatherneck magazine.
Ellie
By Sgt. Danielle M. Bacon
Press Chief
Ten Marines from around the Corps received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal at the Commandant of the Marine Corps Combined Awards Program for their efforts in improving the force through retention, recruiting, and making and training Marines.
Of those, six took home the coveted titles as top 2008 Marine security guard, career retention specialist, recruiter, prior service recruiter, drill instructor or Marine combat instructor of the year.
Gen. James F. Amos, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, explained why it was so important to recognize the efforts of these Marines.
‘‘Recruiters go to the malls and screen (potential recruits and candidates) into wanting to join the Corps,” Amos said. ‘‘They have to go out into America, and have a lot of pressure to bring quality into the Corps.”
Every day, nearly 2,650 recruiters canvass American communities seeking prospective recruits, according to the CMC tribute in the event program.
Sgt. Franky Rodrigues, 1st Marine Corps District, and Staff Sgt. Jeremy Mickelson, 9th Marine Corps District of Apple Valley, Minn., were nominated for recruiter of the year. Rodrigues was meritoriously promoted to staff sergeant for being the overall top recruiter.
‘‘This is one of the hardest jobs I have ever had to do in the Corps,” said Rodrigues, a Perth Amboy, N.J. ‘‘It feels good to be recognized.”
Once a young person visits a recruiter, they head to boot camp to stand on yellow footprints. From there, they are in the hands of drill instructors.
Each year, 1,100 drill instructors transform 35,000 raw recruits from all walks of life into Marines, according to the program tribute.
‘‘They make the transformation,” said Amos.
Gunnery Sgt. Jesse M. Becker, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., and Staff Sgt. Christopher D. Wheeler, a Galveston, Texas, native stationed at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, were nominated for the Drill Instructor of Year award. Becker, a Pike, Ga., native, was named top DI.
According to the CMC tribute in the event program, once leaving boot camp, new Marines are trained and tested again at Marine Combat Training. The instructors directly shape the future of the Corps through the professional instruction they impart in an entry-level training continuum.
Staff sergeants Stuart A. Drash, School of Infantry West, Camp Pendleton, Calif., and James M. Foley, a Meade, S.D., native at the School of Infantry East, Camp Lejeune, N.C., were nominated for Marine Combat Instructor of the Year. Drash, a Spotslyvania, Va., native, was awarded the title.
Marines from around the Corps come to Quantico to attend the Marine Security Guard School. There are approximately 1,100 Marines from the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group vigilantly standing post.
The 2008 MSG was meritoriously promoted Gunnery Sgt. Eric. C Sheffield, a native of Orange, Fla., stationed at the American embassy in Budapest, Hungary.
Making the choice to stay in the Corps is a decision every Marine faces — to help them with that are career retention specialists. The legacy of the Corps rests with the success of each CRS, according to the tribute.
The 2008 career retention specialist of the year, Staff Sgt. Julio A. Vargasrosa, a San Diego native, was meritoriously promoted to gunnery sergeant.
Marines choose to get out of the Corps for many different reasons, and for just as many reasons, some choose to come back in. It is the prior-service recruiter that ensures this happens.
Staff sergeants Elijah A. Richardson, 4th Marine Corps District, and Eduardo R. Monk, 9th Marine Corps District and Great Lakes, Ill., native, were nominated for the 2008 Prior Service Recruiter of the Year award. Richardson, a Newport News, Va., native, was meritoriously promoted to gunnery sergeant for his selection as the top prior service recruiter.
In addition to the title each of the selected Marines received several plaques and awards from various sponsors including the Marine Corps Association.
‘‘We appreciate the Marines and their families,” said retired Col. Walt Ford, Marine Corps Association and editor of Leatherneck magazine.
Ellie